Golf is an old sport, having originated in Scotland and then introduced to America some time later. Although the overall design of golf clubs has remained some what similar throughout the history of golf, some modifications have occurred. Such modifications have included, among others, designs formed on the faces of the club head to influence the trajectory of the ball upon impact with the club head face and altered shapes of club heads. Many of the modifications to golf clubs have come in the area of the materials used to construct the clubs. In an effort to make golf clubs lighter and/or more durable, materials such as carbon fiber and light weight metallic alloys have been used to construct various parts of golf clubs. For instance, many "woods" sold today are made of metal.
In spite of the modifications to golf clubs which enhance performance, golf remains a difficult game to learn and play with skill. Minor variations in a golf swing or club position in any type of golf shot can result in the golf ball missing its target by a wide margin. Such problems include, among other things, the rotation or angling of the head of the golf club upon impact with the golf ball in the event that the ball is not struck exactly on the optimal spot on the club head. Additionally, problems also arise when the golfer attempts to look up to see the target of a golf shot and then down to align the club face, often resulting in the movement of the club as the golfer moves his or her body. In an effort to address problems involved in aiming and swinging a golf club, certain modifications were made to the basic club and/or shaft design.
For instance, it has been suggested to attach mirrors to the shaft or the head of golf clubs as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,160 to Salata and U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,866 to Bang. Additionally, modifications to the heads of golf clubs to achieve various effects have been suggested. Such modifications include, among others, U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,210 to Rozmus, which suggests a club head including concentrated masses of weight at certain points in the club head.